In a move towards easing the uncomfortable nature of nasal swabs, a new saliva-based COVID-19 PCR test is now available at select iGene Laboratory partner clinics throughout Singapore.

The test can detect all COVID-19 variant strains among the known to date, including the recent Omicron variant. The saliva-based COVID-19 PCR test is also accepted as a pre-departure traveller test to countries such as Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S.

Serving medical professionals and patients across Southeast Asia, iGene Laboratory is a wholly-owned subsidiary company of medical diagnostics developer, INEX Innovate headquartered in Singapore.

The saliva-based test uses the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methodology to enable detection of viral Ribonucleic Acid (RNA), the genetic material of COVID-19, thereby identifying those with an active COVID-19 infection. By taking a non-invasive approach, this test collects saliva pooled from the mouth cavity eliminating the need for healthcare professionals to collect nasopharyngeal swabs.